Apparatus for separating products from mineral wool blow chambers



Fume 24, 1941 D.- C. DRILL APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING PRODUCTS FROMMINERAL WOOL BLOW CHAMBER Filed Sept. 50, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l Danie!CDn'il INVENTOR ATTORNEY v June 24, 1941. Q DRlLL 2,246,844 APPARATUSFOR SEPARATING PRODUCTS FROM MINERAL WOOL BLOW CHAMBER Filed Sept. 50',1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elllllh.

.Daniei C. Dfi'll INVENTOR ATTORNEY D. C. DRlLL June 24, 1941.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING PRODUCTS FROM MINERAL WOOL BLOW CHAMBER FiledSept. 50, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Daniel c. mu

INVENTOR .BY/ adzpv ATTORNEY June 24, 1941. c, DRILL ATING PRODUCTS FROMMINERAI. WOOL BLOW CHAMBER 4 Sheer.s-Sheet 4 APPARATUS FOR SEPAR FiledSept. 30, 1937 Daniel C. Drill INVENTOR BY JAQ 6,424.4.

' ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1941 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING PRODUCTS FROMMINERAL WOOL BLOW CHAMBERS Daniel 0. Drill, Wabash, Ind., assignor toAmerican Rock Wool Corporation, Wabash, Ind., a corporation of IndianaApplication September 30, 1937, Serial No. 166,706

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in apparatus for themanufacture of mineral wool, and more particularly to apparatusassociated with a blow chamber utilized in the production of mineralwool, forseparating mineral wool .fibers from gases exhausted from theblow chamber.

An object of the present invention is to pro-.

vide an improved and novel apparatus associated with a blow chamberutilized in the production of mineral wool, for recovering mineral woolfibers from gases exhausted from the blow chamber.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved andnovel apparatus associated with a blow chamber. utilized in theproduction of mineral .wool, for separating mineral wool fibers fromgases exhausted from the blow chamber, and for returning the mineralwool fibers recovered from the exhaust gases to the blow chamber forincorporation in the mineral wool product.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved andnovel apparatus associated with a blow chamber, for separating mineralwool fibers from gases exhausted from the blow chamber, and which willoperate with efficiency during continuous service without being affectedby adhesive tendencies of the mineral wool fibers.

A further dbject of the present invention is to provide an improved andnovel apparatus associated with a blow chamber utilized in theproduction of mineral wool, for separating and recovering volatilizedliquids from gases exhausted from the blow chamber.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved andnovel apparatus associated with a blow chamber for accomplishing theabove objectives, which is simple in construetion, positive inoperation, and readily adaptable for use under various conditions ofservice.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent taken along the linest-land 5-5, respectively,

of Figure 3; and

Figures 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views taken substantially alongthe lines 6-6 and 1-1,

respectively, of Figure 1.

In the manufacture of mineral wool, a furnace or cupola I0 is providedfor melting suitable raw materials, such as rock or slag. The moltenmaterials flow from the furnace in a liquid stream 12 which is subjectedto a powerful jet or blast of air or steam for dividing or shreddin themolten stream into light fine fibers known as mineral wool.

The jet of air or stream which divides the molten stream into themineral wool fibers also hurls or injects the mineral wool fibersthrough an opening l4 in a blow chamber I6 which is I positioned infront of and in relatively close proximity to the furnace HI.

This blow chamber, while it also serves as a settling chamber is not tobe confused with the ordinary settling chamber as it is adapted tocontinuously receive the powerful blast of steam or air which dischargesthe more or less incandescent mineral wool fibers in suspension withinthe blow chamber. This blast of formation would, of course, generate adangerously high pressure within the blow chamber were not meansprovided to continuously permit the injected gases or vapors tocontinuously pass through and readily escape from the blow chamber. Theterm blow chamber as used in this specification and its accompanyingclaims is limited to such a construction.

The mineral fibers float in the gases, comprising mostly steam which isinjected into the chamber 16 with the fibers, and settles on a slowlymoving conveyor l8 disposed in and providing the floor of the chamber.The accumulation of mineral fibers on the conveyor forms a layer ofmineral wool felt 20 which is continuously removed from the chamber bythe conveyor.

In order to prevent'the gases from accumulating in the blow chamber orescaping through the entrance opening therein, it is the generalpractice to provide the chamber with an exit or vent opening throughwhich the gases may escape or be exhausted to the atmosphere. Theprovision of a simple vent opening through which the gases from thechamber may escape to the atmosphere, however, presents seriousdisadvantages, the principal one of which is that a large proportion ofthe mineral wool fibers which are suspended or float in the gases in thechamber,

are carried away to the atmosphere with the exhaust gases.

This loss of mineral fibers seriously impairs the efllciency of theapparatus for making the mineral wool, as it greatly reduces the amountof mineral wool produced in proportion to the amount of raw materialsemployed.

The loss of fibers to the atmosphere resulting from the employment of asimple exhaust vent also presents a serious nuisance problem as themineral fibers, usually in bunches or clusters, are scattered over thelocality in which the mineral wool plant is situated.

Numerous attempts have been made to separate and recover the mineralwool fibers from the gases exhausted from the blow chamber, such as bythe use of screening devices, but, as far as is known, all such attemptshave met with failure or only moderate success, primarily because of thetendency of the fibers to adhere to anything which may retard or preventmovement of the fibers.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide anapparatus for separating mineral wool fibers from the gases exhaustedfrom a blow chamber which will not be aflected by the adheringtendencies of the mineral fibers.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, ahousing 22 is provided which is mounted on the top side 24 of the blowchamber I6, as best shown in Figure l.

The housing comprises end walls 26 and 28, and an intermediate wall 38disposed in spaced relationship therebetween. The end walls and theintermediate wall are connected to side walls 32 and 34, and an arcuateshaped top wall 86 is provided for covering the space between the endwall 26 and the intermediate wall 88. A top wall 38 is also provided forcovering the space between the intermediate wall 38 and the end wall 28,and is connected with said walls.

A shown in Figures 3 and 4, a partitionin wall 48 extends between theend wall 26 and the intermediate wall 38 for dividing the space betweensaid walls into a rotor compartment 42 and a conveyor compartment 44.The wall 48 extends upwardly toward the top wall 36 of the tion betweenthe rotor compartment 42 and the gas outlet compartment 68.

A rotor wheel 64 is disposed in the rotor compartment 42 within thehousing 22, and is fixedly mounted on a shaft 66 which in turn ismounted in bearing members 68 carried by the housing 22. As shown inFigures 2, 3, and 4, a screw conveyor I8 is disposed in the conveyorcompartment 44 and extends through an opening 12 in the intermediatewall 88 into the material outlet compartment 68. The screw conveyorcomprises in part a shaft 18 which is mounted in bearings 14 carried bythe housing 22, and is operatively "connected to the rotor shaft 86which in turn is driven by a motor '16.

A rotary paddle wheel I8 is disposed i the niaterial outletfcompartment58 between the screw conveyor I8 and the outlet opening 5| in the top ofthe blow chamber I6, as shown in Figure 2. The rotary paddle wheelcomprises blades 88 connected with a square section of a shaft 82 whichis mounted in bearing members 84 carried bythe housing 22, and is drivenby being operatively connected to the screw conveyor shaft I8, as shownin gure '7.

As best shown in Figures 1, 6, and 7, the end wall 28 of'the housing 22is provided with an outlet opening 86 in communication with a duct orpipe 88 which has one end connected with the end wall 28 of the housingand the other end connected with an exhaust fan 88 at the intake openingthereof. A pipe or duct 82 is also provided which has one end connectedwith the exhaust fan at the outlet opening thereof and the other end incommunication with an auxj iliary housing 84 hereinafter described.

housing and is spaced from said top wall for providing an opening 45between the compartments 42 and 44.

A partitioning wall 46 is similarly positioned between the intermediatewall 38 and the end wall 28 for dividing the space between said wallsinto a gas outlet compartment 48 and a material outlet compartment 58,as best shown in Figures 3 and 4. The compartment 58 is incommunicatiomwith the interior of the chamber I6 by means of an opening5| in the top 24 of the chamber.

The rotor compartment 42 is provided with a semi-cylindrical bottom wall62 extending between the end wall 26 and the intermediate wall 38, andthe conveyor compartment 44 is likewise provided with an arcuate bottomwall 54 which, however, extends through the intermediate wall a shortdistance into the chamber 58.

As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5, the housing 22 comprises in part aninlet pipe portion 56 which provides communication between an opening 58in the top 24 of the blow chamber I6 and an opening 68 in the end wall26 of the housing 22.

The intermediate wall 38 also has an opening 62 similar to and inalignment with the opening 68 in the end wall 26 for providingcommunica- The rotor wheel 64 referred to hereinbefore as being disposedin the compartment 42 comprises hub members 86 fixedly mountedon theshaft 66 and provided with radially extending arms 88 fixedly connectedtherewith. A plurality of rotor blades I88 is fixedly connected to thearms 88 in any suitable manner and is rotated by the shaft 66 within thecompartment 42.

Conical shaped end members I82 are disposed on the shaft 66 at the outerides of the hub members 86 for decreasing the resistance to and guidingthe gases which flow through the openings 68 and 62 and the compartment42. I

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a cylindrical shell I84 is connected withthe hub members at the outer sides thereof for enclosing the spaceswithin the confine of the peripheries of the hub members 86 and theconical end members I82, and is provided with openings therein'throughwhich the arms 88 extend, whereby gases flowing through the compartment42 must pass between the rotor blades I88. 7 I

The operation of the structure hereinbefore described will be readilyunderstood.

The suction fan 88 pulls or exhausts the gases from the blow chamber I6through the opening 68 in the top 24 of the blow chamber. It will benoted that a baille wall I86 is disposed in the blow chamber I6 andextends between the sides thereof. The bafile wall I86 is positionedbetween the exhaust opening 58 in the top of the chamber and theentrance opening I4 in the end of the chamber, and has the lower edgethereof spaced a suflicient distance from the conveyor I8 so that thegases in the blow chamber I6 flowing to the outlet opening 68 must, passbeneath the baiiie wall. This construction causes the major portion ofthe mineral wall fibers suspended in the gases in the blow chamber I6 tosettle on the conthe mineral wool with the gases. I fan it pulls orexhausts the gases I terror is prior to tla withdrawai of the toaminimumfrom the I hberswhich are withdrawn suction from the blow chamber itthrough the openin 58 in the top 24 of the blow chamber ii. The gasespass through the pipe II and the opening Oil of the housing 22 into therotor chamber 42.

When the gases and the mineral wool ilbers carried thereby enter therotor compartment 42, v

' the housing.

her 44 is carried by the screw conveyor Iii through the opening I2 inthe intermediate wall 30 of the housing. and is deposited in the outletcompartment 50 from which the mineral wool is returned to the blowchamber is through the opening ii in the top of the blow chamber by therevolving paddle wheel 18. .The mineralwool thus returned to theblowchambermay then drop onto the conveyor It and become a part of themineral wool felt it. e 4

It will be. noted that the above structure prevents the gases in theblow chamber 88 from beingexhausted through the opening Bi, and

also prevents the gases in the rotor compartment 42 from returning tothe blow chamber.

The gases in the rotor compartment 42 are continuously withdrawn by thefan 90 through the opening $2, the compartment 68, and the duct 88, tothe fan from whichethe gases are ggseharged through the pipe 92 to thehousing The gases passing through the duct as after having beensubjected to the centrifugal action of the rotor wheel as may containparticles inv the form of dust or very short fibers and othersubstances, such as solvents in a volatillzed state, which have beenconstituents of materials applied to the fibers for imparting certaincharacteristics to the mineral wool felt disposed on the conveyor.

It may be desired that these solid particles and volatilized substancesbe removed from the ex= haust gases prior to the release of the gases tothe atmosphere, and it is for this purpose that I the auxiliary housing94- is provided.

The housing 96, as best shown in Figures 1 and 6, has an inlet openingits at one end in communication with the pi 92 from the exhaust'underthe bamewalls H2 and. II. bamewall III, aswellasaround ends bameplates I2! and I22 in the vent-duct'rl lllw The spray pipes I24 nearestthe baillewallrlil and Ill and the baiiie plate I20, provide a watershed from the ends of these baiiles, which serves to efieotively collectthe particles carried by the exhaust gases and also cools the gases tosuch an extent that the volatilized substances carrled by the gases arecondensed and remain in The exhaust sprays, escape throughthe vent ductIII to the atmosphere. e v

The housing '94 has a bottom portion in thereof adapted for serving asa' reservoir for liquids, and ior'receiving the condensate of thevolatile substances.

The bottom portion I 30 of the housing 24 may be extended beyond an endwall thereof. as at I34, and may be provided with an outlet conduit I26for withdrawing the water and condensates from the'housing. The conduitI85 may be COB".

nected with a mechanical or filter separator illustrateddiagrammatically at m for separating the water from the condensateswithdrawn from the housing 84.

A strainer I40 is provided for over the entrance opening to the conduitI36 for preventing solid matter from entering the separator I28. and thehousing may be provided with an openingcovfan 80, and may be p videdwith a vent duct 1 M0 at the other end.

A plurality of baiile walls H2, H4, and H6, is positioned between theside walls us of the housing 94 and is arranged so that the gasespassing through the housing must flow under the baille walls 2 and IISand over the baiile wall 6. The housing as also may be provided withspacegllgaille plates I20, and H2, within the vent duct Spray pipes I2 1are disposed within the housing 94 and the vent duct H0. and areconnected to a supply pipe I28 which in turn may be connected to a pump28 for forcing a liquid, preferably water, into the spray pipes.

The water is sprayed from the spray pipes within the housing is andtends to collect all of the solid particles, and dissolve or condenseall or the volatilized' gases carried bythe exered by a door I42whereby. access may be had to the chamber for removing solid matterwhich accumulates about the strainer. The housing 84 may also beprovided with openings covered by doors I44 whereby access may be had tothe housing for periodically removing any silt deposited in the housingas a result of the solid particles removed from the exhaust gases.

A float valve I46 may be disposed in the housing and be connected to apipe 548 which in turn may be in communication with a water supplysource for maintaining the liquids in the reservoir at a given level.

' Should the condensation resulting from the exhaust gases be more thansuiiicientto maintain the liquids in the reservoir at the desired level,then the float valve I46 may be adapted to supplement the outlet pipeI36 ior;releasing the surplus liquids in the housing, and the pipe I40may be connected with a separator I38 instead of being connected with a.water source of supply.

If so desired, a valve may be provided for readlating the supply ofwater to the housing and another valve may be provided ior regulatingthe release of the surplus liquids in the reservoir.

It will be noted that the fan 30 for exhausting the gases from the blowchamber Is and forcing the'gases through the housings 22 and 94 may alsobe positioned between the'putlet opening it! in the blow chamber I6 andthe housing 22. and

the pipe 88 may be connected directly with the gases,after being washedby the the objectives hereinabove set and it is intended that thisinvention shall be limited only by the scope of the appended claim Iclaim: 1. In apparatus of the character described, an elongated mineralwool blow chamber having side, front, rear, top, and base enclosureportions,

an inlet opening in said rear enclosure portion to to said gaseous fluidoutlet to receive said gaseous fluid and the mineral wool in gaseoussuspension from said chamber, a mineral wool discharge conduitconnecting said housing with said blow chamber and communicating withsaid chamber through the top thereof to the rear of said baille fordischarging mineral wool from said housing into said blow chamber, saidhousing being also provided with a gaseous fluid discharge outletthrough which said fluid may pass out of said housing.

2. In apparatus of the character described, an elongated mineral woolblow chamber having side, front, rear, top, and base enclosure portions,an inlet opening in said rear enclosure portion to receive a commingledblast of gaseous fluid and newly' formed mineral wool flbers, a baiiieathwart the interior of said chamber extending to said side and topenclosure portions and spaced near to but apart from said front and baseenclosure portions and a gaseous fluid outlet in front of said bailiethrough which said gaseous fluid may pass out of said chamber, aseparator fan outside said chamber, a housing enclosing said fan, aconduit connected to said housing and to said gaseous fluid outlet toreceive said gaseous fluid and the mineral wool in gaseous suspensionfrom said chamber, a mineral wool discharge conduit connecting saidhousing with said blow chamber and communicating with said chamberthrough the top thereof to the rear of said bailie for dischargingmineral wool from said housing into said blow chamber, a conveyor forreceiving the separated mineral wool from said fan and discharging saidseparated wool into said v -mineral wool discharge conduit, a rotorvalve means in said mineral wool discharge conduit positioned beneathsaid conveyor at one end thereof for receiving the discharged mineralwool and means for rotating said conveyor and rotor valve means, saidhousing being also provided with a gaseous fluid discharge outletthrough which said fluid may pass out of said housing, said rotor valvemeans having a plurality of radially extending blades for dividing themineral wool in said discharge conduit into separated bunches orportions and moving said bunches or portions toward said chamber.

3. In apparatus of the character described, an elongated mineral woolblow chamber having side, front, rear, top, and .base enclosureportions, an

inlet opening in said rear enclosure portion to receive a commingledblast of gaseous fluid and newly formed mineral wool fibers, a bailleathwart the interior of said chamber extending to said side and topenclosure portions and spaced near to but apart from said front andbaseenclosure portions, a gaseous fluid outlet in front of said bailiethrough which said gaseous fluid may .pass out of said chamber, aseparator fan outside said chamber, a housing enclosing said fan, aconduit connected to said housing and to said gaseous fluid outlet toreceive said gaseous fluid and the mineral wool in gaseous suspensionfrom said chamber, a mineral wool discharge conduit connecting saidhousing with said blow chamber and communicating with said chamberthrough the top thereof to the rear of said baflle for dischargingmineral wool from said housing into said blow chamber, said housingbeing also provided with a gaseous fluid discharge outlet through whichsaid fluid may pass out of said housing, said base enclosure 'portionincluding a movable conveyor beneath said baiile and adapted to receivesaid fibers as they fall from said blast and said mineral wool dischargeconduit and convey said fibers beneath said battle and out of saidchamber.

4. In the apparatus of the character described, an elongated mineralwool blow chamber having side; front, rear, top, and base enclosureportions, an inlet opening in said rear enclosure portion to receive a.commingled blast of gaseous fluid and newly formed mineral wool flbers,a baiiie athwart the interior of said chamber extending to said side andtop enclosure portions and spaced near to but apart from said front andbase enclosure portions, a gaseous fluid outlet in front of said baiiiethrough which said gaseous fluid may pass out of said chamber, aseparator fan outside said said chamber, a housing enclosing said fan, aconduit connected to said housing and to said gaseous fluid outlet toreceive said gaseous fluid and the mineral wool in gaseous suspensionfrom said chamber, a mineral wool discharge conduit connecting saidhousing with said blow chamber and communicating with said chamberthrough the top thereof to the rear of said bailie for dis chargingmineral wool from said housing into said blow chamber, a conveyor forreceiving the separated wool from said fan and discharging saidseparated wool into said mineral wool discharge conduit, a rotor valvemeans in said mineral wool discharge conduit positioned beneath saidconveyor at one end thereof for receiving the discharged mineral wooland means for rotating said conveyor and rotor valve means, said baseenclosure portion including a movable conveyor beneath said baiiie andadapted to receive said fibers as they fall from said blast and saidmineral wool discharge conduit and convey said fibers beneath saidbafile and out of said blow chamber, said housing being also providedwith a gaseous fluid discharge outlet through which said fluid may passout of said housing, said rotor valve means having a plurality ofradially extending blades for dividing the mineral wool in saiddischarge conduit into separated bunches or portions and moving saidbunches toward said chamber.

DANIEL C. DRILL.

